


Inevitable

by graceharper



Category: Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)
Genre: F/F, it'll be pining for awhile
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2020-10-27 10:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20759114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graceharper/pseuds/graceharper
Summary: Star can't take everything away from Carol, right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes right off from Captain Marvel #10.

_ What is happening!  _ The frightened cries of a city of people that she tried so hard to protect. That she nearly sacrificed her life for even though they disowned her as their hero. Tried to get rid of her. It almost worked, didn’t it?  **Thump.**

_ Maybe not as smart as you think you are.  _ Carol’s just watching Star drain the energy from the citizens she’s supposed to be protecting. She can barely move even a finger. Helpless. She’s not supposed to be helpless. She’s Captain Marvel. Star’s voice still venom in her head.

_ I’m the new Captain Marvel!  _ Star announces to a frightened city and even somewhere in Carol’s weakened state. Fading in and out of consciousness and hearing Star’s taunting voice inside her dissociative mind, Carol understands one thing: Star can never be Carol. Not unless she fools Rhodey... and Jessica. Oh God, is that what Jessica thought and she let Jessica down. Jessica -

_ Carol!  _ Jessica’s angry and desperate voice.  **Thump. ** Carol’s heart is nearly beating out of her chest. Jessica’s pulling her into her arms and, of course, before Carol completely blacks out, she whispers: “You need to stop Star.” Even if that means leaving her.

Carol’s in and out. She heard something like a faint apology to Captain Marvel. Rhodey’s hands stroking her hair, telling her they’re working on it. It wasn’t until Jessica’s voice, loud and clear, did Carol really wake up. Massive headache, even more massive ache in her chest.

“Why couldn’t you have at least told me, Carol?” Jessica’s voice was laced with concern, sadness dripping from lips. Carol opens her mouth to give a sarcastic reply but her throat is a little too dry at the moment to give anything else but a squeak and to try and clear her throat. Jessica releases a small, relieved sigh. The back of her fingertips dance across Carol’s cheek adoringly. Carol opens her eyes, squinting in the sudden brightness of the room. Blue eyes meet green eyes. Jessica’s face was neutral until Carol smiled, just this quirk to the corner of her lips. Jessica frowned.

_ Carol would have sacrificed herself to a city that disowned her without a second thought. Without thinking of the people that need her here _ .

“No,” Jessica breathes out. Her fingers fall from Carol’s cheek, falling into the bedsheets on either side of Carol’s head. Fingers digging into the material. Jessica’s forehead leans against Carol’s. “You do  _ not _ get to do that.”

“I knew what I had to do.” Carol finally answers, voice scratchy. Her hand reaches up, fingers just gently laying on Jessica’s upper arm. Head peering around the other woman. She really wanted that water. Yet, before she could find some water, the room door opened slowly, Rhodey’s head peeking in. He had a water bottle in his hand. The hand on Jessica’s arm stretches out, palm facing towards Rhodey. The signature ‘gimme’ motion. Jessica removes herself from Carol, taking a step away from the bed. Rhodey handed over the bottle and Carol downed nearly half of it before she decided taking a breath was a good idea. Green eyes met blue eyes with a ferocity that even Rhodey turned on his heel and headed back out the door.

“We could have found another way. Like, I don’t know, removing the thing without you having to rip it from your chest in the middle of a battle you’re losing!” Carol doesn’t say a word, she just stares at Jessica. Star’s words suddenly cutting into her. Not as smart. Carol wasn’t saying anything, mind still fuzzy and heart still heavy, she just didn’t have a reply yet. Jessica’s deflating, hands slapping at her sides. “Investigate, not get dead.” Jessica’s voice is soft again. “With Minerva’s… forced help, we found a way to cut her using half of New York as her power source.” Carol’s eyes fell from Jessica. That faraway look in her eyes. Jessica knows that look. That’s the look she’s had herself, that Carol’s had before. She wants to runaway. Except that Carol running away means one very important thing: she’s going to space.

Jessica just didn’t know how to tell Carol yet that she’s tired. She wants to be supportive, like Rhodey is supportive but she’s tired of trying. She wants Carol here, not there.  ** _She needs Carol here_ ** . “I’ll inform you when we find a lock on Star again.” Jessica doesn’t even hide how defeated she sounds. One of her hands raise, wanting to reach out and push that strand of hair from Carol’s face but her hand just falls again and she walks out the door. Muttering, “she’s all yours,” to Rhodey.

The conversation between the pair was awkward. It felt like nothing but a filler. Simple conversation. Yeah, Carol’s fine. She’s already itching to get out of this hospital bed. It’s distant, so Rhodey finally asks: “Are you leaving after we stop Star?” Carol’s lips pursed, it takes a few seconds for her to answer him. “I don’t know yet. Maybe, but I can’t do this. Not with everything going on. I need to figure myself out.” Rhodey doesn’t answer her, he just leans forward and kisses her forehead. A smile. Everything that said without the words:  _ whatever you need to do. I support you _ .

**“** ** _You could never replace me_ ** **.”** Carol whispers harshly in Star’s ear before grabbing the other woman and throwing her as hard as inhumanly possible. The angry conviction in Carol’s voice. Jessica was calling out for Carol behind her, but Carol was already back in the air. See, that’s the thing. You can’t just steal Carol’s best friend. You can’t just persuade Jessica Drew that Carol’s stupid, useless and an alien that needs to go back to her planet. It’s not going to work. It just doesn’t make Carol any less angry that Star just tried. Carol’s propelling her body forward in a uniform without a hole in her chest. She’s bringing back her fist and Star’s stumbling to her feet. Carol propels her body and that fist forward. The punch clocked Star right in the side of the face, sending the other woman flying yet again. Carol right behind, yet again. Carol’s charging forward, but on her feet and at normal speed. Pointer finger wagging menacingly at Star. “You can take my career, you can turn the city against me, but you can’t have Jessica Drew. That’s where I really draw the line.” Star’s not saying anything, just stumbling to her feet. Carol’s fist balls again but before Carol can do anything, Jessica is landing in front of Carol. Hands held up, stepping forward to press those hands to Carol’s shoulders. Steve made an appearance next, his large hands wrapping around Carol’s wrists from behind, pulling her into him. They both know they’re really no match, but that isn’t the point. That’s never the point.

“Hey, easy. Easy.” Steve whispers, out of breath and still with his care.

“She wants to be you, but she’s not you. She could never be you. Alright?” Carol stopped moving, no longer walking forward or trying to but her blue eyes were still on the Star struggling to get up. “Carol!” Carol’s eyes switched to Jessica’s green eyes. “Alright?” Carol nodded her head, but there was no conviction.

“No, I’m not.” Both Steve and Jessica sigh in relief at the same time when Carol finally answers. Steve’s hands fall from Carol’s wrists and Jessica just leans forward. It’s never really been her thing, but between the thought of Carol probably leaving for awhile and almost losing Carol - today it’s her thing. Jessica’s arms wrap around Carol’s neck, pulling the taller woman into a hug. Carol’s stiff for a second herself before her eyes closed, head turning to tuck into Jessica’s neck.

“It’s over with.” Tony’s voice makes an appearance, Tony and Steve collecting Star. Maybe he wasn’t even necessarily talking to anyone in particular, but Carol nodded her head into Jessica’s neck. Her arms wrap around Jessica’s waist and Jessica didn’t ask but suddenly they’re flying back to Stark Tower. When they land, Carol finally pries herself away from Jessica and walks away. Jessica opens her mouth to protest, but what would she even say? She turns to walk back to her room and nearly collides with Rhodey. He just gives her a lopsided smile.

“Carol’s back.” Jessica mutters.

“I don’t think she wants to see me right now.” He answers.

“Why do you think that?” Jessica asks, curiously.

“She broke up with me and that usually means she’s going back to space to fight those good space wars. That’s her thing. I’m not going to get in the way.” Rhodey answers with another smile. Reaching a hand out to pat Jessica’s shoulder awkwardly before walking away. As Jessica suddenly turns to find her way to Carol’s room, she thinks:  _ why is this time so different? Why am I stopping her this time?  _ Maybe she doesn’t have a real reason, but the excuses are as follows: Carol’s hurting from being dismissed from the Air Force, she’s still healing and they have to find a way to prove that Captain Marvel is still Earth’s hero. They just have to.


	2. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a hole in your chest where your heart should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The interaction with the little girl was only rearranged slightly and stolen mostly Captain Marvel Issue #11, so all rights due there. I was enamored with it, so I had to include it. Anyway, here's more rearrangement of that comic story line. Upcoming: we ain't gonna fuckin' change Jessica's suit because it's hot.

“Are you alright, Captain? There’s a hole in your chest where your heart should be.” The young girl’s voice is so soft, there is an amount of caring regard in that soft voice that makes Carol blink. She’s been so angry. She’s been so tired. It’s drained her. She felt like the city she’s loved, the people she’d die fighting for had abandoned her, but there’s a little girl standing in front of her with beautiful, dark skin. Brown eyes staring up at Carol without a fear, with an amount of respect that only means one thing every single time Carol sees it: the little girl is a fan. Just like that, it’s all it takes. Carol is no longer angry. She still has her phone in her hand from talking to Jessica and there’s a moment in which her heart misses a beat because she knows now that she’s pushing people away. Carol gets down on one knee so she’s the same level with the gorgeous little girl, an emotion collecting inside of her that’s so pure, that’s so wholesome. Her throat tightens up and she just might cry. Carol’s free hand comes up to the Air Force t-shirt she’s wearing, there’s no hole there, but either the little girl was at the fight or she saw the fight. The kid also reaches out without a blink of an eye, touching Carol’s shirt, lips pursing. Then lips frowning. Carol has to close her eyes, hand reaching out for the girl to set on the girl’s shoulder. A tall, handsome dark man walks behind her, but he also doesn’t say a thing. He’s just smiling lightly. He looks exactly like a father that would say: she wants to be just like you and Carol has to breathe in again.

“I’ll be just fine, don’t worry.” Carol answers, a small smile tipping her lips. There is a sincerity in her voice that makes her just as soft, just as respecting.

“I wanna be a hero just like you. But, izzit true? You’re an alien?” The question was so innocent that Carol just tilted her head. It was simple curiosity, a little girl that only wants to know the truth about her favorite superhero. 

“I’m… part alien. My mom’s something called a kree.”

“But, what ‘bout your dad?”

“He was human.”

“So, you’re both!” There’s an excitement when the little girl says that and Carol almost laughs, the tension waning away. “You should just tell people that!” The little girl says simply before turning to her dad. Maybe it always has been that simple. The dad nods a small thank you, something else so simple before they walk away and Carol’s standing in the street like she just had a whole entire therapy session. The city doesn’t hate her. She’s the space person, yeah, but maybe a big reason she runs away to space when she’s isolating is because being part alien has always… negatively affected her. She feels her pocket vibrate, but she’s lost in thought so she doesn’t really think about it. It vibrates again and she thinks: maybe I’m not so confident. It vibrates one more time before she realizes that’s her phone and pulls it out of her jeans pocket to answer it.

“If I say no to taking care of your cat, will you just get your next door neighbor to take care of her again or will this be a step in you staying?” Jessica’s voice cuts through the line, rushed and slightly aggravated. Carol didn’t even get to say hello.

“I wasn’t about to ask you anyway, Jess. I know you’re busy… and allergic. I’ll figure it out.” Carol just answers, simply. She's been thinking about a lot lately. She’s always been attracted to Rhodey, he’s handsome, sweet and sometimes she just needs a strong pair of arms. He gives her space when she needs it. He’s a model soldier. There’s just always been something missing in the spaces when they aren’t dating. Like they both know it’s more… longing than it is an actual relationship. Wasn’t Jessica, herself, talking about it with Roger? It feels more like a habit, Jess said, like she’s dating him because he’s her best friend and she just has an urge for a domestic life he gives her. Jessica’s always had that urge. It’s why she had a kid. But there’s something missing between her and Roger and there’s always something missing between Carol and Rhodey. In between all that though, Carol realizes there’s a silence that’s been lingering between them.

“Carol, now I’m telling you I really don’t think you should go find a war in space to fight. Stay close. At least…” A pause, Carol could practically hear Jessica’s teeth clenching. “... Until we figure things out with Ripley aka Star and I know you’re healed. Got it?”

“Copy, Spock.” Carol answers, a soft affection held only for Jessica. She hangs up. Tilts her head back, stares up at the stars. Yeah, because aliens belong out there, especially aliens that just lost their colonel status and are assuming… most of the city they almost died saving hates them. Blue eyes close and Carol floats upward, deep breath in. She takes off in flight, just takes off period, doesn’t think about what she’s doing until she’s knocking on a door, until Jessica Drew answers that door. Jessica’s in sweatpants, hair all razzled, tank top with a little spot of… something on the strap. It looks like baby drool. “Can I order pizza for all of us?” Roger slides out of the bedroom, baby on top of his head like he was absolutely summoned. One finger raises.

“I’m in!” He chimes and Jessica just smiles lightly, her hand reaching up to rub the back of her neck. So, Carol slides past her, phone in her hand, ordering pizza. Roger and the baby talking to each other in baby gibberish in the background. She turns on the TV when she’s done, Jessica takes a seat next to her. The TV’s the one that tells them in various news reports that they want to reinstate Carol and that there’s a few interviews of people defending Carol. Carol’s head just tips, resting on Jessica’s shoulder. Jessica’s hand touches Carol’s knee without thinking about it, just rests there in comfort. Roger joins them with the now somewhat sleeping baby, just sits next to Jessica. And, maybe if they stop to think about it like Roger just had, they’d see that what they were missing was each other. There’s an ache in Roger’s chest - but he’s a good man. Just as long as he still gets to take care of the kid and be a part of Jessica’s life.


End file.
